Breaking: Colts Identified as Landing Spot for Dynamic Linebacker Prospect
While Bleacher Report lists safety as the Indianapolis Colts‘ biggest need, one can simply watch one half of a Colts game and see their biggest need, in reality, is defensive versatility.
That may be why BR’s Scouting Department projected Louisiana State University (LSU) linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. as a fit for Indianapolis to select in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 225 pounds, Perkins proved in his first two seasons as a Tiger that he could do it all at the linebacker position. Perkins tore his ACL in the fourth game of his junior campaign, but he put up monster numbers as a freshman and sophomore.
“Harold Perkins is out for the year with a torn ACL, but he would still be an intriguing draft prospect if he decides to leave the Bayou. He has another year of eligibility if he wants to prove he can work his way back from the injury,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine. “But Perkins’ pass-rush ability combined with his athleticism at linebacker would help change the tenor of the defensive unit.”
In his first two seasons at LSU, Perkins combined for 13 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, 147 tackles, seven pass deflections, two interceptions, and seven forced fumbles. Perkins can rush the passer and play off the ball, a dual-threat defender that Indianapolis desperately needs.
Current Colts starting linebacker E.J. Speed is a 2025 free agent, as is rotational edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo. While Perkins can’t fill two roster spots, he could fill two needs in terms of edge help and pass coverage assistance.
What makes Perkins even more intriguing for the Colts is that his injury has significantly hurt his draft stock, as Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks him as the eighth-best linebacker and 129th-best overall player in the 2025 class.
If those projections ring true in NFL front offices, Indianapolis could come away with a steal in the third or fourth round.
